In the following question, a part of the sentence is given in brackets. Choose the alternative that best improves the bracketed part: Father (would have been appreciated) your efforts if you had informed him.

Introduction / Context:
This sentence improvement question tests your knowledge of correct verb forms in a conditional (if) sentence referring to the past. The structure “if you had informed him” clearly indicates a past unreal condition. The first part of the sentence must use the correct form to show what Father would have done under that condition.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Original sentence: “Father (would have been appreciated) your efforts if you had informed him.”
• Options for the bracketed part: would be appreciated, would have appreciated, should have been appreciated, No improvement.
• We recognise a third conditional construction: “would have + past participle” with “if + had + past participle”.
• Father is the subject who would perform the action of appreciating.

Concept / Approach:
In third conditional sentences, the pattern is: If + past perfect (had + V3), then would have + V3. Here, the action in the main clause should be Father would have appreciated your efforts. The incorrect original phrase “would have been appreciated” shifts the meaning and voice: it suggests your efforts would have been appreciated (by someone) instead of Father doing the appreciating. We must keep Father as the subject performing the appreciation, not turn the clause into passive voice.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify the verb in the if clause: “if you had informed him” is past perfect, showing an unreal past condition.Apply the third conditional pattern: the main clause should use “would have + past participle” with Father as subject.The natural active form is “Father would have appreciated your efforts.”Option “would have appreciated” matches this structure exactly.Therefore, the correct improvement is “would have appreciated”.

Verification / Alternative check:
Read the corrected sentence: “Father would have appreciated your efforts if you had informed him.” This clearly means that in the unreal past situation where you did not inform him, he missed the chance to appreciate you. It fits the usual logic of conditional sentences that talk about regret or missed opportunities.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
“Would be appreciated” gives a passive structure and also suggests present or future time, not an unreal past condition. “Should have been appreciated” suggests that someone else ought to have appreciated your efforts, but it does not connect directly to Father as the subject. “No improvement” is incorrect because the original phrase “would have been appreciated your efforts” is grammatically wrong; we do not say “would have been appreciated your efforts” with Father as subject.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse active and passive in conditional sentences. Remember that in the active voice, the subject performs the action (Father appreciated), while in the passive voice, the object receives the action (Your efforts were appreciated). Here, the sentence clearly wants to say that Father would have appreciated your efforts; therefore, the active form “would have appreciated” is necessary.

Final Answer:
The correct improvement of the bracketed part is would have appreciated, giving: “Father would have appreciated your efforts if you had informed him.”